City Council Debates Rental of City Facility To White Supremacist Church Group

The Church of Jesus Christ - Christian, which has ties to the Neo-Nazi white supremacist Aryan Nations, has asked to rent the city-owned McClelland Arts Center in Longview, Washington for an organizational meeting. The city's Mayor Dennis Weber recommended to Longview City Council that it form a task force to make it clear to the group that it is not welcome in the city. Yesterday's Longview Daily News reports that Councilman Kurt Anagnostou objected saying that it is unconstitutional to prevent a particular group from renting the building because of its beliefs. Only one member of council was interested in joining the Mayor on the task force.